Connector for trawl net point-cut edges



Feb. 25, 1964 CONNECTOR Filed March 19, 1962 F. J. LUKETA FOR TRAWL NET POINT-CUT EDGEs 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. FRA/VK J. 0A/VA BY i Feb. 25, 1964 F. J. LUKETA 3,121,967

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Feb. 25, 1964 F. J. LUKETA 3,121,967

l CONNECTOR FOR TRAWL NET POINT-CUT EDGES Filed March 19, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 QB l INVENTOR.

FRA/w( T [UMS/A Y l Q i ,l a WML/uw Array/WM5 Feb. 25, 1964 F. J. LUKETA 3,121,967

CONNECTOR FOR TRAWL NET POINT-CUT EDGES Filed March 19, 1962 5 sheets-sheet 4 y# ,20' INVENTOR.

Feb. 25, 1964 F. J. LUKETA 3,121,967

CONNECTOR FOR TRAWL NET POINT-CUT EDGES Filed March 19, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR FRA/w( u'. aA/7A A fram/5K5' United States Patent 3,121,967 CONNECTR FR TRAWL NET POINT-CUT EDGES Frank I. Luheta, 5567 Greenwood Ave., Seattle 3, Wash. Filed Mar. I?, 92, Ser. No. 130,545 12 Claims. (Si. Lifi- 7) The mesh panels of trawl nets, cut from commercially available netting, yare of limited lengths and widths, and must be joined to other panels to achieve desired lengths or widths of curtains, funnels, overhangs, codends, etc. Particularly is this true as trawlers and trawling gear become larger and larger. If one such panel is damaged it is more practical to remove it and replace it by a like panel, than to attempt to repair it in place during productive fishing periods. The usual manner lof joining such panels is to lace them Valong a common edge, the lacing twine being ywrapped about the edge twines `of barcut panels, or weaving squares that join point-cut panels. Whenever removal of a panel and its replacement is required, the unwrapping or releasing of the lacing twine, and its relacing or reweaving, is a tedious, time-consuming job, and even more importantly, may have to be done under ditlicult conditions, as of Weather, or when time of the crew member doing it might more economically be employed in actual fishing operations.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide connecting means, called herein knot simulators, which are readily applied to each edge to be joined, and then are capable of being accurately, quickly, and easily, yet strongly, joined to the complemental knot simulators of the adjoining panels edge, and even more readily disconnected therefrom when necessary, all in somewhat the same manner as two edges of a garment are joined or released by slide fasteners.

The invention in the specific form shown herein is intended for joining two point-cut edges, such as may be employed in t-he curtain panels of a midwater trawl net. In a companion application similar principles are applied to the joining of two bar-cut edges. The invention herein is to be broadly construed, and not limited to the precise forms shown `and described by Way of illustration.

Among further objects of the invention are, to utilize knot simulators of simple form, easily applied, and capable of being molded primarily of material such as nylon or rubber, for example, at low cost; to provide a method of application which will insure proper placement of each knot simulator Iat the point of its mesh square; to employ knot simulators and means joining the same having the inherent capability of allowing the mesh squares to extend and to relax in substantially the same manner they would if the panel edges were woven together in the conventional way; and to provide a joint of no appreciable bulk. Other objects will appear as this specification progresses.

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of a midwater trawl net such as may incorporate this invention, partly broken away.

FIGURE 2 is cross-sectional view through the codend, at the line 2 2 of FIG-URE l, and FIGURE 3 is a like View, but showing how a longitudinally constricted codend can pass more readily between two upright guide posts at the stern of the trawler, during hauling of the net.

FIGURE 4 is an elevation of a joint between adjoining point-cut edges of two panels, with the mesh squares relaxed or fully distended, and FIGURE 5 is an isometric view of the same.

FIGURE 6 is an elevation, taken at the line 6-6 of FIGURE `4, of the lacing twines guiding and protecting sleeves.

FiGURE 7 is an elevational view, corresponding to fice FIGURE 4, but showing the mesh squares fully extended along the line of the joint.

FIGURE 8 and 9 are isometric views, from different viewpoints, of an individual knot simulator, in its unstressed condition.

FIGURES 10, 11, and l?. are respectively an elevation, partly in section, a section at the line 11-11 of FIG- URE 10, and an edge view, also partly in section, of an individual knot simulator in its stretched condition. These views indicate a crimpable element embedded within the knot simulator.

FIGURE 13 is an exploded isometric view of two knot simulators and of the lacing twine protective sleeves, all in the stressed condition.

FIGURE 14 is an isometric view of the protective sleeves, in the relaxed condition.

FIGURE `15 is an elevation of the joint between two mesh panels, Where they hang from a curtain line.

FIGURES 16 to 20 and 21 to 25 are two series of parallel views illustrating the sequence of steps in applying a knot simulator, the views of the first series being elevations and those of the second series being isometric views.

FIGURE 26 is Ia cross-sectional detail of a part of the knot simulator, when rst applied to and positioned upon the twine of a point, and FIGURE 27 is a like view of the crimping operation that liXes it in position.

FIGURE 28 is a `similar view illustrating the operation of removing, for replacement, a damaged knot simulator that has been once fixed in position.

The net chosen to illustrate the invention is a midwater trawl net, including a codend 9 closed by a purse line at its after end during trawling, but held open at its forward end by a rigid expansion ring 91. A funnel 8, also joined to the expansion ring, `diverges forwardly to upper and lower bosoms 81 and v82. Two Suspenders ll of mesh constitute part of the funnel, and at their after ends yare distributed about the ring 91, but at their forward ends are concentrated and joined to connectors 2 interconnected by the line 22. The connectors 2 serve as anchorages for sweep lines Sil buoyed up at 54 which diverge forwardly, and each of which is anchored, through a leg line l52 connected at 51, to the corresponding door 6, which is towed from the trawler (not shown) by a towing warp `60. `Upper and lower curtain lines 71, 72 are joined at their after ends by the bosom lines at 8l, 82, respectively, and diverge forwardly, finally being anchored at 73, 74 to the corresponding ,door through leg lines 75, '76 removably connected at 77a, 77b. Slack lazy lines 55 to the sweep line 50, and yS6 and bridle 57 to curtain lines 71, 72, function during hauling, but are slack during trawling. The codend is lshown as constricted lengthwise between its top and bottom along the line 9b, to define two chambers 9c and 9d rather than the full round 9a (see FIGURE 2), in order that it may pass between upright laterally spaced guide posts 31 and over a horizontal guide 3, aboard the trawler, while being hauled in.

Curtains '7 are secured along their upper and lower edges to curtain lines 71, 72, and are arranged to belly rearwardly as the net is dragged forwardly. The total distance, measured about this belly, from curtain line 71 to curtain line 72, is in excess of the width of commercially available netting, and two or more widths must be joined longitudinally as at 7a along bar-cut edges. 'I he length of such curtains greatly exceeds the length, in the required direction, of commercially available netting, and numerous joints between point-cut panels must be employed at 7b. The point-cut rearmost edge of each curtain must be joined, at 78, to the side edges of the funnel 8. The funnel itself is made up of panels joined in various ways, the suspenders are joined at 83 to the funnel, of which it is a part, and the codend is made up of joined panels, although not so shown. It is the structure of such joints that constitutes the subject of this invention, and particularly, but not exclusively, when the joint is between two point-cut edges, such as those at 7b.

The joint is made by employing connectors or knot simulators 4 which are shown separately in FIGURES S to 12, applying them accurately to successive points along the edges of mesh panels to be joined, in a manner to define a loop at a point of each mesh square, and then lacing a lacing twine 5 through spacer sleeves intcrconnected at S1, and through the loops at the panels edge points which support the knot simulators A.. The operation will he more fully described later.

Each knot simulator tends to retain a shape such as is illustrated in FIGURES 8 and 9, although it is resiliently fiexible and can assume the form shown in FIGURES and 13. Preferably it is molded primarily of nylon, rubber, of like wear-resistant and resilient materials, to define a central open loop 4G and two longitudinally split sleeves 4I which are at right angles when the knot simulator is relaxed (FIGURES 8, 9), but which can be pulled into alignment when the loop d is stressed (FIG- URE 10). Each sleeve lhs a longitudinal slit 42 from end to end, and a crimpable split insert 43 is om edded within it (FIGURES 10, 1l and i2).

Each spacer sleeve 5l) is of a length between connections at 51 equal to the length of a leg of the mesh that is to be joined. The sleeves may be, for example, of surgical rubber, and the connections at 51, or" like material, are freely flexible. While disc-like, these elements 51 are preferably relieved at 52 for greater exibility and to permit complete alignment of the spacers 56 when they are extended as shown in FIGURES 7 and 13.

The first step in the assembly of a joint is to apply the knot simulators 4 accurately to successive points of a selvage or point-cut edge of each panel to he joined. This operation is shown in FIGURES 16 to 25. A tool A, which is primarily a spring loop or circle with a point a, is applied to the meshs edge, with the point a inside the mesh point 79. This enables the mesh point 7n to be stretched (FIGURES 17 and 22), and by a slight rotation of tool A the engaged twine is wedged and held in place. Now the stretching of the mesh is relaxed, and a knot simulator Il is placed within the mesh point 79, and its sleeves il are engaged with the meshs twine at opposite sides of the tool A (FIGURES 18 and 23).

Now the knot simulator is slid along the twine until the inner ends of sleeves 4I more or less engage the tool A, as in FIGURES 19 and 24, and a crimping tool C squeezes the crirnpable sleeves 43 to fix the knot simulator in place, leaving a loop 79a; see FIGURES 26, 27. Slit 42a is of a width to accommodate the mesh twine, while the yielding narrower slit 42, of rubber, is provided to grip the twine and self-retain the simulator against the tool A prior to crimping. The tool A is now withdrawn, FIGURES 20, 25, leaving the knot simulator accurately located. This is done to all points on both edges to be joined.

Now the two such edges can be conveniently and rapidly joined. A lacing twine 5, having a stiffened leading end 53, is passed through hole 56a in each spacer sleeve 5l) and through the loop 79a between the legs of knot simulators 4 of the alternate edges (see FIGURES 4, 5 and 7) until the two panels are joined throughout the length of their adjoining edges. The ends of the lacing twine 5 are secured by the swaged on sleeve 5a (see FIF- URE in some other convenient manner. The spacer sleeves with their enclosed lacing twine constitute flexible legs of the mesh which in all respects are equivalent to the conventional weaving of two point-cut panel edges, but the joining is much more quickly and accurately accomplished.

Whenever removal of a panel is required, all that is needed is to cut off the swaged terminal 5a and with draw the lacing twine 5 (which can be done in seconds), and uncouple at '77. If a knot simulator should be damaged, it can be removed by a tool B (FIGURE 28) which has a jaw b to spread apart the opposite sides of the crimpable sleeve 43.

As has been stated, similar principles can be employed to joint two bar-cut edges, or a bar-cut and a point-cut edge. A construction suitable for so doing is disclosed in a companion application, wherein loops to receive the lacing twine at the point of a mesh square are formed as part of the knot simulator per se, but whether 'the loop to receive the lacing twine is part of the knot simulator, as just described, or is formed in the mesh twine by the knot simulator, the principle is the same, in that the knot simulator is aihxed accurately to the mesh twine at a point, and when so afiixed locates and provides a loop for reception of the lacing twine.

The precise length of lacing twine 5 required for a given panel joining is determined by the manufacturer and correct lengths are carried by the trawler f` or various panel joinings or lacings.

I claim as my invention:

l. Means for joining the edges of two mesh panels, such as are used in trawl nets and the like, comprising a plurality of knot simulators cach including means for alilxing the simulator in a predetermined location upon and joining each or" two legs of the twine or" a given mesh square in each such panel, each simulator when so afiixed defining a closed loop located at a point of its :iesh square, and a lacing twine threaded through the successively alternating loops of the opposite edges of the two panels.

2. Means for joining the edges of two mesh panels such as are used in trawl nets and the like, comprising a plurality of knot simulators each including two interconnected means normally disposed at right angles and arranged to affix the simulator upon each of two legs of a given mesh square, adjacent the point deincd by such two legs, to define a closed loop in the mesh twine at the point, and a lacing twine threaded through the successively alternating loops of the opposite edges of the two panels.

3. Means as and for the purpose specified in claim 2, including a plurality of spacer sleeves extending from each loop to the next, and of a length equal to the length of the corresponding mesh leg, the lacing twine extending through each such sleeve in succession.

4. Means as and for the purpose specified in claim 3, including flexible means joining the adjacent ends of successive spacer sleeves, and apertures for protrusion of the lacing twine to engage each loop, and for re-entrance of the lacing twine into the next sleeve.

5. Means as and for the purpose specified in claim 2. wherein the two interconnected afiixing means of each simulator are formed as sleeves slit lengthwise for en trance of the respective legs of the mesh twine.

6. Means as and for the purpose specified in claim 5, including crimpable means operatively incorporated in each slit sleeve, and when crimped afiixing the simulator in place upon the legs of the mesh square.

7. A knot simulator for application to at least two legs of the twine of a mesh square, for the purpose herein speciied, comprising two sleeves each divided lengthwise and arranged at right angles to straddle each of the two such legs which define a point, thereby to locate a loop in the mesh twine for the reception of a lacing twine 1n Athe near vicinity of such point, and means joining said two sleeves and closing the loop.

8. A knot simulator for application to two legs 0f the twine of a mesh square, to define a loop at the point Whtfe such legs join, said simulator comprising two sleeves each slit lengthwise to straddle the respective legs, 'and an open loop joining said sleeves, and formed of resilient material which when relaxed retains the sleeves in a rectangular disposition.

9. A knot simulator as in claim 8, and a crimpab-le sleeve incorporated in each simulator sleeve, and slit to straddle the respective legs, and when crimped to retain the simulator aixed in position on the two legs, spaced suliciently from their point to define a closed loop.

l0. A knot simulator asin claim 8, wherein each sleeve is slit lengthwise, and each such slit is enlarged laterally and longitudinally, intermediate its ends.

11. A method of deiining a loop at the point of individual mesh squares of a trawl net or the like, by means of a knot simulator which includes two longitudinally slit sleeves and a loop interconnecting said sleeves and normally holding them :at right angles, which method co-mprises eng-aging a tool with the twine of the mesh square and elongating the square to locate the tool at a point at an end of the elongation, fixing Ithe -tool at such point, relaxing the mesh square, applying to the two legs of the mesh square at opposite sides of the point the respective slit sleeves of a simulator, land locating such sleeves adjacent the point, alixing such sleeves to the respective legs in such locati-ons, and withdrawing the tool from engagement with the twine.

l2. In combination with two mesh panels point-cut along edges to be joined, a plurality of knot simulators aixed to the mesh twine of each panel at each point along such edges, to define .a loop at the point, a plurality of spacer sleeves each of a length corresponding to the legs of the corresponding mesh squares, joined end to end, and interposed between the loops `delined by successive simulators, and a lacing twine threaded through successive sleeves and interposed loops. t

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 758,001 Dixon Apr. 19, 1904 1,466,078 Washburn Aug. 28, 1923 2,408,367 Brickman a- Oct. 1, 1946 

2. MEANS FOR JOINING THE EDGES OF TWO MESH PANELS SUCH AS ARE USED IN TRAWL NETS AND THE LIKE, COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF KNOT SIMULATORS EACH INCLUDING TWO INTERCONNECTED MEANS NORMALLY DISPOSED AT RIGHT ANGLES AND ARRANGED TO AFFIX THE SIMULATOR UPON EACH OF TWO LEGS OF A GIVEN MESH SQUARE, ADJACENT THE POINT DEFINED BY SUCH TWO LEGS, TO DEFINE A CLOSED LOOP IN THE MESH TWINE AT THE POINT, AND A LACING TWINE THREADED THROUGH THE SUCCESSIVELY ALTERNATING LOOPS OF THE OPPOSITE EDGES OF THE TWO PANELS. 